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Departments and Committees

New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons

2016–2017 Departments and Committees

Appointment of Department Directors, Committee Chairpersons and Committee members shall be made by the President. The President shall ensure that there is equitable representation from District Societies on all committees. All appointments are subject to the approval of the Board of Directors at the first meeting following the Annual Meeting. All Department Directors shall be members of the Board of Directors. The President is an ex-officio member of all committees.

If you are a NJAOPS member and are interested in serving in leadership, please complete the NJAOPS Leadership Opportunities online questionnaire or contact President Michelina DeSanti, DO.
The Committee activities of this Association shall be organized under three departments with an officer serving as director of each. The departments shall be (1) Department of Professional Affairs, (2) Department of Public Affairs, (3) Department of Organizational Affairs, Committees shall secure Board approval for projects and programs unless the Board has granted approval and instruction in advance.

Department of Professional Affairs

Leonard Schuchman, DO, Director

This Department shall be concerned with all Association activities relating directly to the profession. The Director shall have supervision over all functions under this department and the program for the year. He shall further indicate any specific duties specified by the Board of Directors and/or the House of Delegates. He/she shall report to the Board of Directors and to the House of Delegates about the overall activities of this department during the year, and present a complete report to the House of Delegates at the end of the year. The Director of the Department of Professional Affairs shall organize and supervise the activities of the following committees and see that necessary meetings are held and reports prepared:

Ethics

The Committee on Ethics shall have supervision over all matters relating to the Code of Ethics and shall act as arbitrator between an individual disagreement and/or misunderstanding and shall be charged with pursuing such matter to a satisfactory and reasonable conclusion.

Professional Education (CME)

The New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons Continuing Medical Education (CME) Committee is advisory in nature and serves to ensure that the continuing medical education activities sponsored by NJAOPS meet or exceed requirements established by the American Osteopathic Association’s Council on CME.

Managed Care and Insurance Relations

This committee is to review and research answers to questions and concerns of members regarding managed care issues and give guidance based on practice experience and expertise as to correct coding and billing requirements. This committee will meet when necessary with insurance companies to discuss member concerns and help physicians as a group have fair and equitable reimbursement for services rendered.

OMT Review

The committee is to help educate the membership on the physical diagnosis, osteopathic techniques and then billing and coding information for osteopathic manipulation to insurance companies. The committee should be consulted by the AROC Committee for the OMT continuing education content and physician instructor choices for the annual AROC seminars. The committee will also review legal testimony and language for state legislation on osteopathic vs. chiropractic language to guarantee our osteopathic uniqueness and practice rights.

New Physicians in Practice

This committee is responsible for acting as a liaison between physicians in practice for less than 10 years with the association and the more seasoned physicians of our association. The committee will help organize North and South meetings to join together new physicians to help share similar practice and business concerns and then mentor with experienced physicians to share ideas and prior implementation pros and cons to work practices.

Department of Public Affairs and Communications

Otto Sabando, DO, Director

This Department shall have general supervision over the promotion, organization and maintenance of proper relationships between the profession and the public and shall distribute to each committee chairman an outline of the work expected in accordance with enactments as recorded in the minutes of the Board of Directors and the House of Delegates.

The Director shall prepare reports covering the overall activities of the department which shall be composed of the reports from the individual committees. The reports shall be presented to the House of Delegates and the Board of Directors at each meeting. The reports shall contain in addition to the regular committee reports, specific answers and explanations of work done in response to the directives and policies laid down the previous year by action of the Board of Directors and the House of Delegates.

Government Affairs

The Government Affairs Committee shall have available, on emergency call, individuals either of personal acquaintance or influence with all national legislators from the State of NewJersey. These appointees shall have the duty of individually contacting on as personal a basis as possible their assigned legislator for the purpose of encouraging and soliciting his support for legislative enactment of benefit to the profession.

Awards

The Awards Committee shall, after careful consideration, select the Physician of the Year award made by NJAOPS at the Annual Convention and any other special awards. This Committee is made up of all Past Presidents due to their familiarity with the membership and hard work of the recipients, two Members-at-Large and one Member of the Board of Directors. A ballot vote will be taken for the award winners.

Benevolence

The Benevolence Committee shall develop a program to be available for any members of the Association who, because of age, illness or financial difficulty, find themselves without funds and need assistance. Other programs relating to a member and his retire­ment years may also be recommended by this committee.

Bylaws

The committee shall consist of the Secretary, a Past-President, and three additional members appointed by the President, and shall safeguard the form and language of amendments and maintain the clarity and integrity of the Bylaws. It shall have the supervision of all members pertaining to proposed changes of the Association's Constitution and Bylaws. It shall be responsible for reviewing all proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and shall make its recommendations to the Board of Directors and to the House of Delegates and shall be responsible for the proper publication of such proposed amendments as constitutionally required; shall have the duty of taking any necessary steps to amend the charter of the Association at the directive of the Association and have general supervision of charters. This committee shall, upon instruction by the Board, give assistance in obtaining a charter for any subsidiary organization of the profession in the state, which is in good standing, upon the request of such organization's bona fide authority. This Committee shall act as liaison between the Association and any ethical organization seeking affiliate status with the Association.

Membership

Shall consist of the Vice President, Secretary and three additional members elected by the House of Delegates, one each year for three year terms. The Membership Committee shall promote membership in this Association and the AOA and shall evaluate all applications for membership in this Association and report their general conclusion on each application to the Board of Directions without revealing detailed confidential information.

A strong Membership Campaign shall be inaugurated annually to enroll non-members in the state and national organizations. This campaign shall be carried on via mail, telephone, personal contact and through local contacts in the District Societies and the Hospitals. The Chairman shall see that such an active campaign is started by October each year.

Resolutions

The Resolutions Committee shall perform the following duties:
(a) Place the resolutions in proper phraseology without changing the meaning or intent.
(b) See that House members are supplied with a copy of the resolutions at least 10 days prior to the House of Delegates meeting at which they are to be presented. (This can be accomplished by supplying the Association Office with the above items at least 3 weeks prior to the meeting.

Technology Committee

Medical technology is an increasingly important driver for delivering efficiency in healthcare systems. Breakthroughs in information gathering, research, treatments, and communications have given medical providers new tools to work with and fresh ways to practice medicine. The Technology Committee is responsable for researching and recommending innovative ways to provide better service and outcomes for it's members. We put together a list of the biggest impacts technology has had on healthcare.

1. The Internet has become a main source of medical information
2. Healthcare facilities are reaching patients using social media
3. Better treatment and less suffering
4. Improved patient care and worker efficiency
5..Doctors are easier to reach and better at their jobs
6. Online databases can accurately predict medical trends

Free-standing Committees

AROC Committee

The Committee shall be chaired by the President-Elect and shall consist of the following membership: President, Vice-President; three association members who are affiliated with RowanSOM; three or more association members who are not in the above categories.
The AROC Committee shall be responsible for the development and implementation of the Convention.

Grassroots Committee

The committee was created to help osteopathic medical students become educated in the world of state politics and allow the students to begin to advocate for their profession and their future. This mentoring process will develop the skills necessary in our young leaders to discuss the medically related political issues and allow from the start of their career to build these relationships

Nominating Committee

A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President prior to December 1st of each year and shall consist of two members of the Board of Directors and three members of the House of Delegates who are not members of the Board of Directors.

Otto Sabando, DO, Chair
Tajma Kotoric, Staff

Past President Advisory Council

This group of veteran members represents the Past Presidents of NJAOPS who will help mentor the current Board of Directors and Executive Board and act as counsel and a resource for the current leaders. The years of service and dedication to NJAOPS by these members will continue as their experiences only will enhance the future of our association in their advisory role.

Elliot Ames, DO
Clifford Botwin, DO
Alan Carr, DO
Karen Kowalenko, DO
Kathy Lambert, DO
John LaRatta, DO
Harry Manser Jr., DO
Ira Monka, DO
Paul Morris, DO
Robert Pedowitz, DO
Martin Scott, DO
Todd Schachter, DO
Rich Tancer, DO
Antonios Tsompanidis, DO
Lee Ann Van Houten-Sauter, DO
Susan Volpicella-Levy, DO

Task Force

Drug Prescribing and Dispensing Task Force, 2014-2016

This is a one-year task force created to review current New Jersey law and regulations regarding the prescribing and dispensing by physicians and recommend to the president any appropriate changes to enhance the care of patients and practice of medicine.